Hans and Margaret married in Simonsberg on May 12, 1853. It is said that she had red hair. She was the daughter of Marten Himpkamp and Anna Cathariena Margaretha Peters. He was 28 and she was 26. They were Lutherans. Simonsberg is a small town on the west coast of Germany that is part of the neck of land that stretches up to Denmark, near the larger city of Husum. It sits on the south side of an inlet to the North Sea. The land is low and the little town is surrounded by earthen bunkers to protect it from high water. From Witzwort, where Hans was born, to Simonsberg is 2 ½ miles. It is in the Schleswig-Holstein province.
Both the Lapraths and the Himpkamps had lived in this area of Germany for at least two generations. Andreas Adam, the father of Hans was a fisherman in the North Sea. In 1845, at the age of 21 Hans was a servant for Johann Friedrich Nebbe. He is said to have been a farmer and served in the war between Denmark and Prussia for the Danish side. Family accounts say that Hans, Sr. was shot in the knee during his service and his patella was shattered so that he walked with a limp from then until he died. The area Schleswig-Holstein of had long been disputed and fought over between Denmark and Prussia (Kingdom of Preussen, predecessor of today's Federal Republic of Germany). The ravages of the wars helped impoverish the area.
At some point after the "Prussian" war it was determined that the family should leave for America and the promise of a better life. Perhaps this was because of bad feelings from fighting on the losing (Danish) side. Perhaps it was because the area was depressed from the long ravages of the wars. They saved for some years to acquire money for passage. Family members say they did this by farming onions (some say potatoes). Selling their land raised the balance of what they needed. Hartmut Singhofen relates that in 1861, after a new dike was built and land was won from the sea (this land is called "KOOG"), Hans Laprath was given 6 "DEMAT" (a demat is a piece of land one man can mow in one day) to his 3.5. So we know that Hans had 9.5 demat to sell.
Finally in 1870, according to sailing records, they departed from Hamburg on 2 separate ships, 5 months apart, arriving in New York on 21 Jan 1870 and 14 June 1870. Hans, age 45, and his two oldest sons, Andy, 16, and Matt, 14, came first on the ship Holsalia, each listing their trade as farmers. Indeed that is the occupation most members of the family took up in America. They must have stayed in New York waiting for Margaret and the other children who came in June on the ship Teutonia.
Margaret's daybook puts the family in Long Grove, Scott Co., IA in that same year of 1870 and this is where they are found in the 1870 Census. From the family bible and daybook we know that her last child, Johannes [John], was born in Long Grove on January 26, 1872. Eight years later, the 1880 Census found them 115 miles west in Tama Co. with only 4 of the 8 children. Of those departed, the son Peter is found in that Census in Tama Co., working as a servant for the family of Hans Ehlers. The one daughter, Mary, is also a servant in Tama Co. for the family of Henning Reimer. My own ancestor, Matt, was a farm hand in the same Census in Crawford Co., working on the farm of George Suckstorf. I have not found Andy, but he was for most all of his life a wanderer who lived isolated and distant from the rest of the family.
The first child to marry was Mary, who wedded later that same Census year in Tama Co. to Charles P. Feddersen. In the 1880 Census, taken just before this event, Mary and Charles are living in close proximity. After this marriage the family of Hans apparently moved another 130 miles west to Sac City, IA. Here Hans, Sr. received his naturalization papers in Sac City on November 7, 1882. Hans, Jr. married Mary Klindt in Sac Co., IA about 1885. Matt who had been away from the family married on October 07, 1887 to Anna Haba in Pierce Co., NE. They settled there between Osmond and Wausa. In the early 1890s the families of Hans, Sr, and Hans, Jr. and their children moved to the vicinity of the town of Gross, NE in Boyd Co. [Census records place that move between 1892 and 1894, family accounts place it between 1890 and 1892]
Gross was the final destination for Hans, Sr. and Margaret. Hans, Jr. and Sr. lived on abutting homesteads just west of the town. John would later take over part of his father's property, the other half added on to the holding of Hans, Jr. Hans. Jr. eventually built a substantial wood house with a large porch and family gatherings were frequently held here. The men made music and people danced.
After Margaret's death on 13 Jan 1902 Hans accompanied his son Thomas to Hope, Idaho where he died 23 May 1910. His body was brought back to Gross where he was buried beside his wife. [copyright Jon Egge 2018]
Census 1870: IA: Scott Co: Winfield twp: page 508B
Census 1880: IA: Tama Co: Spring Creek twp: page 588C
Census 1900: NE: Boyd Co: Gross prct: page 245
Census 1910: ID: Bonner Co: : Clark Fork district: page 4A
children not linked: Peter Friedrich [b: January 31, 1862] last seen in 1880 Census, Johann Heinrich [b: April 16, 1866 died young in Germany]
Both the Lapraths and the Himpkamps had lived in this area of Germany for at least two generations. Andreas Adam, the father of Hans was a fisherman in the North Sea. In 1845, at the age of 21 Hans was a servant for Johann Friedrich Nebbe. He is said to have been a farmer and served in the war between Denmark and Prussia for the Danish side. Family accounts say that Hans, Sr. was shot in the knee during his service and his patella was shattered so that he walked with a limp from then until he died. The area Schleswig-Holstein of had long been disputed and fought over between Denmark and Prussia (Kingdom of Preussen, predecessor of today's Federal Republic of Germany). The ravages of the wars helped impoverish the area.
At some point after the "Prussian" war it was determined that the family should leave for America and the promise of a better life. Perhaps this was because of bad feelings from fighting on the losing (Danish) side. Perhaps it was because the area was depressed from the long ravages of the wars. They saved for some years to acquire money for passage. Family members say they did this by farming onions (some say potatoes). Selling their land raised the balance of what they needed. Hartmut Singhofen relates that in 1861, after a new dike was built and land was won from the sea (this land is called "KOOG"), Hans Laprath was given 6 "DEMAT" (a demat is a piece of land one man can mow in one day) to his 3.5. So we know that Hans had 9.5 demat to sell.
Finally in 1870, according to sailing records, they departed from Hamburg on 2 separate ships, 5 months apart, arriving in New York on 21 Jan 1870 and 14 June 1870. Hans, age 45, and his two oldest sons, Andy, 16, and Matt, 14, came first on the ship Holsalia, each listing their trade as farmers. Indeed that is the occupation most members of the family took up in America. They must have stayed in New York waiting for Margaret and the other children who came in June on the ship Teutonia.
Margaret's daybook puts the family in Long Grove, Scott Co., IA in that same year of 1870 and this is where they are found in the 1870 Census. From the family bible and daybook we know that her last child, Johannes [John], was born in Long Grove on January 26, 1872. Eight years later, the 1880 Census found them 115 miles west in Tama Co. with only 4 of the 8 children. Of those departed, the son Peter is found in that Census in Tama Co., working as a servant for the family of Hans Ehlers. The one daughter, Mary, is also a servant in Tama Co. for the family of Henning Reimer. My own ancestor, Matt, was a farm hand in the same Census in Crawford Co., working on the farm of George Suckstorf. I have not found Andy, but he was for most all of his life a wanderer who lived isolated and distant from the rest of the family.
The first child to marry was Mary, who wedded later that same Census year in Tama Co. to Charles P. Feddersen. In the 1880 Census, taken just before this event, Mary and Charles are living in close proximity. After this marriage the family of Hans apparently moved another 130 miles west to Sac City, IA. Here Hans, Sr. received his naturalization papers in Sac City on November 7, 1882. Hans, Jr. married Mary Klindt in Sac Co., IA about 1885. Matt who had been away from the family married on October 07, 1887 to Anna Haba in Pierce Co., NE. They settled there between Osmond and Wausa. In the early 1890s the families of Hans, Sr, and Hans, Jr. and their children moved to the vicinity of the town of Gross, NE in Boyd Co. [Census records place that move between 1892 and 1894, family accounts place it between 1890 and 1892]
Gross was the final destination for Hans, Sr. and Margaret. Hans, Jr. and Sr. lived on abutting homesteads just west of the town. John would later take over part of his father's property, the other half added on to the holding of Hans, Jr. Hans. Jr. eventually built a substantial wood house with a large porch and family gatherings were frequently held here. The men made music and people danced.
After Margaret's death on 13 Jan 1902 Hans accompanied his son Thomas to Hope, Idaho where he died 23 May 1910. His body was brought back to Gross where he was buried beside his wife. [copyright Jon Egge 2018]
Census 1870: IA: Scott Co: Winfield twp: page 508B
Census 1880: IA: Tama Co: Spring Creek twp: page 588C
Census 1900: NE: Boyd Co: Gross prct: page 245
Census 1910: ID: Bonner Co: : Clark Fork district: page 4A
children not linked: Peter Friedrich [b: January 31, 1862] last seen in 1880 Census, Johann Heinrich [b: April 16, 1866 died young in Germany]
Hans and Margaret married in Simonsberg on May 12, 1853. It is said that she had red hair. She was the daughter of Marten Himpkamp and Anna Cathariena Margaretha Peters. He was 28 and she was 26. They were Lutherans. Simonsberg is a small town on the west coast of Germany that is part of the neck of land that stretches up to Denmark, near the larger city of Husum. It sits on the south side of an inlet to the North Sea. The land is low and the little town is surrounded by earthen bunkers to protect it from high water. From Witzwort, where Hans was born, to Simonsberg is 2 ½ miles. It is in the Schleswig-Holstein province.
Both the Lapraths and the Himpkamps had lived in this area of Germany for at least two generations. Andreas Adam, the father of Hans was a fisherman in the North Sea. In 1845, at the age of 21 Hans was a servant for Johann Friedrich Nebbe. He is said to have been a farmer and served in the war between Denmark and Prussia for the Danish side. Family accounts say that Hans, Sr. was shot in the knee during his service and his patella was shattered so that he walked with a limp from then until he died. The area Schleswig-Holstein of had long been disputed and fought over between Denmark and Prussia (Kingdom of Preussen, predecessor of today's Federal Republic of Germany). The ravages of the wars helped impoverish the area.
At some point after the "Prussian" war it was determined that the family should leave for America and the promise of a better life. Perhaps this was because of bad feelings from fighting on the losing (Danish) side. Perhaps it was because the area was depressed from the long ravages of the wars. They saved for some years to acquire money for passage. Family members say they did this by farming onions (some say potatoes). Selling their land raised the balance of what they needed. Hartmut Singhofen relates that in 1861, after a new dike was built and land was won from the sea (this land is called "KOOG"), Hans Laprath was given 6 "DEMAT" (a demat is a piece of land one man can mow in one day) to his 3.5. So we know that Hans had 9.5 demat to sell.
Finally in 1870, according to sailing records, they departed from Hamburg on 2 separate ships, 5 months apart, arriving in New York on 21 Jan 1870 and 14 June 1870. Hans, age 45, and his two oldest sons, Andy, 16, and Matt, 14, came first on the ship Holsalia, each listing their trade as farmers. Indeed that is the occupation most members of the family took up in America. They must have stayed in New York waiting for Margaret and the other children who came in June on the ship Teutonia.
Margaret's daybook puts the family in Long Grove, Scott Co., IA in that same year of 1870 and this is where they are found in the 1870 Census. From the family bible and daybook we know that her last child, Johannes [John], was born in Long Grove on January 26, 1872. Eight years later, the 1880 Census found them 115 miles west in Tama Co. with only 4 of the 8 children. Of those departed, the son Peter is found in that Census in Tama Co., working as a servant for the family of Hans Ehlers. The one daughter, Mary, is also a servant in Tama Co. for the family of Henning Reimer. My own ancestor, Matt, was a farm hand in the same Census in Crawford Co., working on the farm of George Suckstorf. I have not found Andy, but he was for most all of his life a wanderer who lived isolated and distant from the rest of the family.
The first child to marry was Mary, who wedded later that same Census year in Tama Co. to Charles P. Feddersen. In the 1880 Census, taken just before this event, Mary and Charles are living in close proximity. After this marriage the family of Hans apparently moved another 130 miles west to Sac City, IA. Here Hans, Sr. received his naturalization papers in Sac City on November 7, 1882. Hans, Jr. married Mary Klindt in Sac Co., IA about 1885. Matt who had been away from the family married on October 07, 1887 to Anna Haba in Pierce Co., NE. They settled there between Osmond and Wausa. In the early 1890s the families of Hans, Sr, and Hans, Jr. and their children moved to the vicinity of the town of Gross, NE in Boyd Co. [Census records place that move between 1892 and 1894, family accounts place it between 1890 and 1892]
Gross was the final destination for Hans, Sr. and Margaret. Hans, Jr. and Sr. lived on abutting homesteads just west of the town. John would later take over part of his father's property, the other half added on to the holding of Hans, Jr. Hans. Jr. eventually built a substantial wood house with a large porch and family gatherings were frequently held here. The men made music and people danced.
After Margaret's death on 13 Jan 1902 Hans accompanied his son Thomas to Hope, Idaho where he died 23 May 1910. His body was brought back to Gross where he was buried beside his wife. [copyright Jon Egge 2018]
Census 1870: IA: Scott Co: Winfield twp: page 508B
Census 1880: IA: Tama Co: Spring Creek twp: page 588C
Census 1900: NE: Boyd Co: Gross prct: page 245
Census 1910: ID: Bonner Co: : Clark Fork district: page 4A
children not linked: Peter Friedrich [b: January 31, 1862] last seen in 1880 Census, Johann Heinrich [b: April 16, 1866 died young in Germany]
Both the Lapraths and the Himpkamps had lived in this area of Germany for at least two generations. Andreas Adam, the father of Hans was a fisherman in the North Sea. In 1845, at the age of 21 Hans was a servant for Johann Friedrich Nebbe. He is said to have been a farmer and served in the war between Denmark and Prussia for the Danish side. Family accounts say that Hans, Sr. was shot in the knee during his service and his patella was shattered so that he walked with a limp from then until he died. The area Schleswig-Holstein of had long been disputed and fought over between Denmark and Prussia (Kingdom of Preussen, predecessor of today's Federal Republic of Germany). The ravages of the wars helped impoverish the area.
At some point after the "Prussian" war it was determined that the family should leave for America and the promise of a better life. Perhaps this was because of bad feelings from fighting on the losing (Danish) side. Perhaps it was because the area was depressed from the long ravages of the wars. They saved for some years to acquire money for passage. Family members say they did this by farming onions (some say potatoes). Selling their land raised the balance of what they needed. Hartmut Singhofen relates that in 1861, after a new dike was built and land was won from the sea (this land is called "KOOG"), Hans Laprath was given 6 "DEMAT" (a demat is a piece of land one man can mow in one day) to his 3.5. So we know that Hans had 9.5 demat to sell.
Finally in 1870, according to sailing records, they departed from Hamburg on 2 separate ships, 5 months apart, arriving in New York on 21 Jan 1870 and 14 June 1870. Hans, age 45, and his two oldest sons, Andy, 16, and Matt, 14, came first on the ship Holsalia, each listing their trade as farmers. Indeed that is the occupation most members of the family took up in America. They must have stayed in New York waiting for Margaret and the other children who came in June on the ship Teutonia.
Margaret's daybook puts the family in Long Grove, Scott Co., IA in that same year of 1870 and this is where they are found in the 1870 Census. From the family bible and daybook we know that her last child, Johannes [John], was born in Long Grove on January 26, 1872. Eight years later, the 1880 Census found them 115 miles west in Tama Co. with only 4 of the 8 children. Of those departed, the son Peter is found in that Census in Tama Co., working as a servant for the family of Hans Ehlers. The one daughter, Mary, is also a servant in Tama Co. for the family of Henning Reimer. My own ancestor, Matt, was a farm hand in the same Census in Crawford Co., working on the farm of George Suckstorf. I have not found Andy, but he was for most all of his life a wanderer who lived isolated and distant from the rest of the family.
The first child to marry was Mary, who wedded later that same Census year in Tama Co. to Charles P. Feddersen. In the 1880 Census, taken just before this event, Mary and Charles are living in close proximity. After this marriage the family of Hans apparently moved another 130 miles west to Sac City, IA. Here Hans, Sr. received his naturalization papers in Sac City on November 7, 1882. Hans, Jr. married Mary Klindt in Sac Co., IA about 1885. Matt who had been away from the family married on October 07, 1887 to Anna Haba in Pierce Co., NE. They settled there between Osmond and Wausa. In the early 1890s the families of Hans, Sr, and Hans, Jr. and their children moved to the vicinity of the town of Gross, NE in Boyd Co. [Census records place that move between 1892 and 1894, family accounts place it between 1890 and 1892]
Gross was the final destination for Hans, Sr. and Margaret. Hans, Jr. and Sr. lived on abutting homesteads just west of the town. John would later take over part of his father's property, the other half added on to the holding of Hans, Jr. Hans. Jr. eventually built a substantial wood house with a large porch and family gatherings were frequently held here. The men made music and people danced.
After Margaret's death on 13 Jan 1902 Hans accompanied his son Thomas to Hope, Idaho where he died 23 May 1910. His body was brought back to Gross where he was buried beside his wife. [copyright Jon Egge 2018]
Census 1870: IA: Scott Co: Winfield twp: page 508B
Census 1880: IA: Tama Co: Spring Creek twp: page 588C
Census 1900: NE: Boyd Co: Gross prct: page 245
Census 1910: ID: Bonner Co: : Clark Fork district: page 4A
children not linked: Peter Friedrich [b: January 31, 1862] last seen in 1880 Census, Johann Heinrich [b: April 16, 1866 died young in Germany]
Inscription
died 23 May 1910, 85yrs, 10 months, 29 days
Gravesite Details
born Witzwort, Germany, immigrated 1870
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
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